The Council have agreed the final details of its plan to use CCTV to enforce the bus only ban on Coppergate. In a report to another “behind closed doors” meeting

Officials admitted that “overall, the income generated through the issue of penalty charge notices will be greater than the operating costs and the scheme is likely to generate a revenue surplus for the Council”

A background report said, “The scheme will involve the use of ANPR Automatic Number Plate Recognition), camera technology to Coppergate between the hours of 07.00 and 11.00 and 16.00 and 19.00, seven days a week.

Coppergate bus lane enforcement plans Click to enlarge

An access and loading restriction is in place between 11.00 and 16.00.

The details of drivers contravening bus lane restriction will be retrieved from the DVLA based on images captured by the ANPR cameras and issued with penalty charge notices as per the approved Traffic Regulation Order charging regime.

The scheme will involve automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) traffic enforcement cameras installed onto the traffic island on Coppergate’s junction with Castlegate. This will enable a monitoring system to detect offenders, secure evidence and allow for civil prosecution to be carried out during the times of operation.

To ensure that only appropriate vehicles receive penalty charge notices, a list of approved vehicles will be generated and maintained within the processing unit. This will allow all vehicles passing the enforcement camera to be cross-referenced and only those genuine cases will be processed further”.

There were no objections to the traffic order when it was advertised earlier in the year.

It has become clear that the Council made a number of important decisions on 20th June. The results of decision meetings held on that day are only now beginning to emerge. The decisions were taken behind closed doors and residents had no opportunity to make representations.

Even opposition Councillors – who responded to an appeal for their views – found that their views had not been recorded before the decision was taken. This has led to an official complaint being recorded by LibDem spokesperson Ann Reid.

The comments were added retrospectively on 28th June!

The biggest shock is that the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order – needed to legally enforce the closure of Lendal Bridge to private vehicles – could last for 18 months.

No objections were recorded by Conservative Councillors while the Greens said they were generally in favour of the plan.

Previously the Council had talked only of a “6 month” trial. Many thought that this was too long a period.

Lendal bridge without traffic

Officials have confirmed that “Enforcement will be carried out by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras under City of York Council control”. This in itself is likely to be highly controversial. The Council have still failed to explain why web access to their traffic cameras is not available.

ANPR does work when police use it to pull up drivers who are suspected of committing an offence. It is less effective when used to enforce parking restrictions and there are numerous examples of “cloned” number plates being used to evade detection.

There will be access to the national “Traffic Penalty Tribunal” for anyone who wishes to appeal against a Penalty Charge Notice.

It remains unclear whether there will be a general exemption from the ban for disabled drivers.

There will be numerous knock on effects from the closure.

• Coaches will be allowed to use the bridge outside the affected hours (10:30am – 5:00pm).

• St Leonards Place will become “Access Only”

The use of an experimental traffic order means that the Council does not have to consult residents before imposing the change. They must however consider any objections raised during the first 6 months of the trial.

The Lendal Bridge clsure proposal is likely to be debated by the full Council at its meeting on 18th July.

North Yorkshire Police have been given officers and PCSOs new powers to tackle anti-social behaviour in the Stonebow, Colliergate and St Saviourgate areas of the city.

There has been no public consultation by the York Council on the proposal which potentially represents a significant extension to police powers.

A dispersal order comes into action today – Friday 28 June – and will run until 27 December 2013.

It is enforceable between the hours of 9pm and 6am and gives the police powers to disperse groups of two or more people whose behaviour is intimidating or causing harassment, alarm or distress to members of the public.

To remain in or return to this area having been told to leave by the police, may be an offence under Section 30(4) of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

Breaching the order is punishable by up to three months’ imprisonment or a fine of up to £5,000, or both.
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West Bank Park will be transformed into a festive focus for the community, when it’s annual summer fair takes place.

At the West Bank Park Fair on Sun 30 June, from 1pm to 4pm, families will be entertained with a falconry display and fun dog show with classes including best pooch smooch and dog most like its owner.
There will be a bouncy castle, climbing wall and for those who prefer to watch and listen, people can pull up a chair for the musical entertainment from live local bands.

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See our historic city through Medieval eyes as we explore the people and human stories behind the facades of the great monuments. This guided walk tells of good and evil, of saintly intentions and of worldly ambitions as grand knights and flamboyant churchmen assert their status.

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Hundreds of children in York registered for free school meals are not receiving them, according to government figures released this week. The revelation follows news that a council ‘Task Group’ has been set-up to examine the issue of the low take-up of all school meals in York.

Figures show that out of 1,819 pupils registered for free school meals in primary, secondary and special schools in York only 75.7% actually took-up the dinners meaning 583 schoolchildren were not eating the free meals for which they were registered. Nationally, take-up is around 82%.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Ann Reid, who will chair the City of York Council cross-party Scrutiny Task Group, commented:

“The Task Group will be looking at the low take-up across the board but we know there is a particular problem with the take-up of free school meals. There are many reasons children don’t always choose to take the free school meal after registering, including possible stigma, preferring to leave school at lunchtime, and not liking the healthy options offered. Given this, the Task Group will look at what the Council can do to make sure schools get all the help and advice they need to increase uptake. This could be promotional work or expanding the ‘cashless’ system successfully used in many schools.”
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The government has announced that the freeze on Council Tax levels will continue for another two years.

The government is also continuing the additional funding grant made available to those Councils that have held Council Tax levels for the last 2 years.

The Labour controlled York Council has already increased Council Tax by 3.8% over the last 2 years and so local residents will not benefit from the announcement.

It remains to be seen whether the Council will now see the error of its ways and introduce the freeze in the run up to the 2015 local elections.

If the Council wants to increase Council Tax by more than 2% it will need to seek the support of taxpayers through a local referendum.